Benefits of Trees

Trees Provide Important Urban Services
• Aesthetically Pleasing Environments – Trees are one of the few elements that
can transform barren parking areas and massive vertical walls into more comfortable spaces.
• Screen Necessary Street Features – Trees screen utility poles, light poles,
and other right-of-way features or at least lessen their obtrusiveness.
• Traffic Calming – Trees lead to reduced traffic speeds appropriate to urban conditions.
• Safer Walking Environments – Delineation of pedestrian areas versus vehicular.
Trees can be protective physical barriers.
• Increased Security – A more pleasant walking environment encourages more people
activity and more foot trffic.
• Better Stormwater Management – Trees absorb the first 30% of most precipitation.
Open soil allows for water infiltration.

Trees Improve Air Quality and Save Energy
• Reduce Harm from Vehicle Emissions – Automobile exhaust is a major public health
concern. Trees trap particulates and reduce impacts from exhaust gases.
• Efficient Transformation of Pollutants – Trees in street proximity absorb 9 times more
pollutants than more distant trees, converting harmful gases into oxygen and other natural compounds.
• Lower Ozone – Car exhaust forms ozone more readily over hot streets without tree shade.
• Provide O2, Sequester CO2 – Photosynthesis sequesters carbon dioxide and produces oxygen.
We are dependent on trees from the day we take our first breath to our last.
• Lower Urban Air Temperatures – Concrete and asphalt streets and parking lots are
known to raise air temperatures 3-7 degrees. Shaded streets can reduce energy bills by
15-35% as well as make the environment more pleasant for people and cars.

Trees Provide Important Economic Benefits
• Add Value to Adjacent Homes and Businesses – Research has shown a 1% increase in the
sale price of a home with large front yard tree. Business properties also show higher values.
• Longer Asphalt Pavement Life – Research (Modesto, CA) has shown longer pavement life
in the shade of trees of 40-60%.
• Improve Business – Tree-scaped streets show 20% higher income stream.

Trees Provide Social and Health Benefits
• Improved Health – Trees in general impact people’s perceptions, lowering blood
pressure, improving overall emotional and psychological health.
• Travel Time Perception – Research has demonstrated a mental perception of increased
travel time over barren treeless road trips. A pleasant trip appears to go by faster.
• Reduced Road Rage – Trees calm people.
• Tree Canopy Protection for People – For light and moderate rains, pedestrians
find less need for rain protection. UV light interception results in reduced need for sun block,
and a 5 to 15 degree temperature reduction in the shade of trees.
• Sense of Ownership and Pride
• Connection to Nature and the Human Senses – Street trees help people connect to
the living world. No man-made products can give the sense of place as do trees.